


Talk To Me

by RakshaTheDemon



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2014-10-29
Packaged: 2019-03-27 10:59:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13879452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RakshaTheDemon/pseuds/RakshaTheDemon
Summary: What if Anna had agreed to talk to Elsa privately during the coronation party?Originally posted on tumblr.





	Talk To Me

**Author's Note:**

> This has been edited slightly, though it's still 99% identical to what I originally wrote. Just cleaned up a few things here and there.

“Look, I know we only just met, but I can  _feel_  how right this is.  And if you’d just talk to him I’m sure you’d see what I mean.  Hans is so sweet and charming, and we love all of the same things like chocolate and dancing and krumkake, and he’s got a wonderfully big family and everything about him is just  _perfect_.”

It was painful, watching the way Anna’s face lit up as she listed the prince’s merits.  Elsa felt like she was preparing to kick a puppy.

They were in the library, after Anna had agreed to speak with Elsa privately.  It had been a relief when she’d agreed; for a moment she’d looked as though she was going to insist on staying beside Prince Hans, even if that meant holding their very personal discussion in the midst of a crowd of strangers.  But then she'd acquiesced, giving the prince a peck on the cheek before slipping away with Elsa.  Now she was moving around the room restlessly as she made her case for the marriage.  Meanwhile Elsa stayed rooted to a single spot as she watched the display, her hands twisting nervously against one another.

“Anna, this can’t happen,” Elsa said, breaking into Anna’s monologue.

“It can and it should,” Anna replied, “because we’re in love.”

“You barely even  _know_  him.”

Anna shrugged.  "I barely know you, but I still love you.“

Elsa opened her mouth to protest, because of course Anna knew her. She was Anna’s  _sister_ , not some random noble who hadn’t even known the girl for an entire day.

And yet.

They were sisters, yes, but for the past thirteen years Elsa had avoided Anna at all costs.  And while there had been a time when Anna had known everything there was to know about Elsa, that was long in the past.  Elsa had kept the most important part of her life a secret.  Truth was, Anna  _didn’t_  know Elsa very well.  Even if she’d only known Prince Hans for a few hours, that would still be enough time to get to know him at least as well as she knew Elsa.

"I suppose you’re right,” Elsa admitted quietly.

“I am?”  Anna straightened, puffing out her chest and raising her chin.  "I mean, of course I am.  So, will you bless the marriage?“

Elsa shook her head.  "Even if you are in love,” she held up a hand to cut off Anna’s protests at the word 'if’, “that doesn’t mean this marriage is a good idea.  Being in love isn’t the same as being compatible. He might have habits you can’t stand.  What if he smacks his lips when he eats, or if he’s always up before dawn and insists on waking you as well?  One day of knowing each other simply isn’t good enough.”

Elsa braced herself for a flurry of arguments, but Anna stayed silent, her expression thoughtful.  Elsa allowed herself a moment of hope that her sister might see reason.  But Anna being Anna, the moment was short-lived.  That pensive expression brightening with excitement.

“So we’ll let him live here for awhile.  I mean, he’s going to move in when we marry anyway, but we’ll say he’s just visiting to keep up appearances.  And of course his brothers could come visit as well; not like we don’t have plenty  of room.”

“No.”

The smile fell from Anna’s face.  "Why  _not_?“

"He can’t stay here.”

“He  _could_  if you’d  _let_  him.”

“It’s not that simple…”

“Yes it is!  We have a  _huge castle_  with barely anyone living in it, and you’re saying we can’t let  _one more person_  move in?  One person that I’m  _in love with_?  What possible reason could you have?”

Ice prickled at the tips of her fingers.  She folded her arms against her stomach, closing in on herself as much as possible.  A voice in the back of her head screamed at her to run away, back to the safety of her room, where there would be no chance of the magic hurting Anna.

She ignored it. “I’m doing what Father wanted.”  It wasn’t an explanation, really, but at least it was honest.

“Right, because you care  _so much_  about what he would want.”

That wasn’t a response she had expected.  It was no secret to anyone in the castle that Elsa had been close to their father.  She spent more time with him than with anyone else.  It had been a source of tension in their family on more than one occasion.

“Of course I do.  How could you think otherwise?”

“I don’t know, maybe because you completely ignored the memorial service?”

Ice.  Elsa was filled with it.  It pulsed in her veins and filled her lugs.  Ice crackled in her ears and stung the tips of her fingers and the soles of her feet.  "That’s not fair,“ she managed to choke past the growing lump in her throat.

"Oh really?”  Anna crossed her arms in front of her chest.  "Did you even go to visit the tombstones?  Ever?  Because I went a  _bunch_  of times, and I don’t remember seeing  _you_  there.“

Elsa’s mouth hung open, but no words came out.  There was nothing she  _could_  say; what could possibly make Anna understand?   _Don’t feel_ , she reminded herself desperately.  The leather of her gloves suddenly seemed an insufficient barrier.

"Yeah, so don’t try and pretend that you care about what Papa wanted.  You don’t care about anybody who isn’t you.”

“That’s not-–You don’t understand.”

“What’s to understand?  You made me face the worst day of my life alone.  You’ve made me face  _every_  day alone.  You don’t care about anyone because you’re too busy shutting everyone out.  And now you’re trying to force me to live the same miserable, loveless existence as you.”

Anna’s words were made all the worse by the matter-of-fact nature with which she said them.  A stabbing pain cut through Elsa’s chest.  She had always known that their separation had been hard on Anna, but knowing wasn’t the same as seeing the hurt in her sister’s eyes or hearing the pained resignation in her voice.  

“I’m sorry, Anna.”  It wasn’t enough.  It was nowhere near enough.  Anna didn’t know-–couldn’t know-–the full weight of those words.  Anna didn’t know how many times Elsa had said them over the years.   _I’m sorry I hurt you.  I’m sorry I shut you out.  I’m sorry I can’t play.  I’m sorry I can’t be your friend.  I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.  I’m sorry._ Apologies whispered behind doors when the playful knocking turned to forlorn footsteps leading away, or said as prayers when the night sky was awake because she knew her sister would be too.  

Ice itched in her palms.

“Is that all you have to say?” Anna demanded.  "Just 'I’m sorry’?“

_Don’t feel._   "I know it’s not much--”

“You’re right, it’s not.”  Anna made an exasperated noise and spun away from Elsa.  

There wasn’t much to say to that, so Elsa staid quiet.  She watched as Anna paced around the room.  The magic continued to prickle just beneath her skin, a constant reminder of just how dangerous this situation could become if she wasn’t careful.   _Conceal it.  Don’t lose control._

“I really am sorry,” she said.  "I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but it does.“

"But  _why?_ And don’t say 'I can’t tell you’,” Anna said as Elsa was preparing to do just that.  "Maybe you hadn’t noticed, but you just became queen.  That means you get to tell anyone anything you want.“  

"It isn’t that simple”

“It  _is_  that simple.  Look, I’ll even help you out.  'Anna, you’re not allowed to be happy because…’ and now you finish the sentence.”

“Anna,” Elsa’s voice had an edge to it. Talking had been a terrible idea; she should just leave now.  End the party and put everything back the way it was.  She glanced to the door.

Anna must have noticed, because she said, “Oh, no you don’t,” before darting in front of the door herself.  "No running away.  Not this time.  We are not leaving this room until you give me some answers.“

Elsa might have laughed if not for the anxious pounding in her chest.  "Anna, I’m the  _queen_. You can’t trap me in my own library.”

“Sure I can.  You won’t push me out of the way because you hate touching people, and you’re not going to call the guards because they’d make a huge fuss.  You’re stuck.”  She folded her arms across her chest.  "So talk.“

This was ridiculous.  Unfortunately it was also completely correct.  For a moment Elsa’s mind flashed back to a much younger Anna, always adept at getting her big sister to do whatever she wanted.  Elsa smiled at the memory.  It was short-lived, because those memories invariably lead to memories of the accident.  Of Anna lying on the floor, eyes closed, her breathing so shallow she appeared almost dead.  

Elsa’s heart clenched.  She stumbled back a step, needing to keep distance between herself and Anna.   _Don’t feel._

"Open the door,” she commanded.  Her voice wavered.

“No.”  

“Anna, stop this.”  

She was trapped.  She was trapped, and Anna was  _right there_ , and at any moment the ice was going to escape.  It was going to happen again.  Anna was going to get hurt  _again._ What was she  _thinking_ , bringing Anna here to begin with?  This was why they’d stayed apart for so long.  To avoid  _this_.  

_Don’t feel.  Don’t feel.  Don’t feel._

“Just tell me what the big deal is and I’ll let you go back to pretending I don’t exist,” Anna said bitterly.

“I can’t.”  There was no hiding the rising fear in Elsa’s voice.  "Anna, I  _can’t_.  So please just–-just go.“

"Not until you talk to me.”

“I keep telling you I  _can’t do that_.”  She fought to keep her breathing under control.   _Don’t feel._

“ _Why_?  What are you so  _worried_  about?”  

This couldn’t happen.  Not again.  But the magic was there and it kept getting stronger, and she could feel ice starting to spread from beneath her feet, and  _don’t feel don’t feel **don’t feel!**_

She turned away, shutting her eyes.  She would have covered her ears as well if she wasn’t afraid to move her hands.  She couldn’t  _think_.  And Anna was still going, each question like a barb under Elsa’s skin.

“What did I ever  _do_  to you?  I’m your  _sister_  and you can’t even  _talk_  to me?  Do you just hate me?  Is that it?”

Anna’s voice was trembling.  The sound made Elsa’s heart clench.  Anna was hurting, again, all because of her.  Because of her secrets, her lies, her  _stupid curse_.

“But it’s not just me, is it?  You hate everything.  You hate the  _world_.  What the hell  _happened_  to you?  What are you so  _afraid of?_ ”

Elsa couldn’t take anymore.  What little self-control she’d retained until that point broke away completely.  She whirled to face Anna, her mouth voicing a reply before her mind could stop it.  

“ _Hurting you!_ ”  There was a tremendous crackling noise as spikes of ice shot up from the floor to form a barrier between her and Anna.

Time seemed to stop.  Elsa could do nothing but stare, horrified, at what she’d done.  She felt sick.  She wanted to run away.   _Needed_  to run away.  But there was only one exit and it was blocked by Anna.  Anna, who was now staring wide-eyed at the ice– _Elsa’s_  ice.  Ice that could have  _impaled_  her.  Ice that proved her sister was a monster, too dangerous to be near.  

But Anna didn’t scream in fear, or open the door to run away.  She simply turned her surprised gaze to Elsa.  "I did not see this coming.“

The absurdity of that response was enough to break Elsa’s horrified trance.  "Are you okay?  It didn’t–-you weren’t hit, were you?”

Anna shook her head.  "Not a scratch.“  She held up her arms to demonstrate.  Elsa let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.  "So,” Anna continued, drawing out the word, “think maybe  _now_  we could talk?”

There was no going back now, Elsa decided.  And so she nodded.

“Yeah.  Yeah, I think we can.”


End file.
